The Key to Memories
by enchantedtale13
Summary: Ib is 13 years old and remembers nothing of her last visit to the gallery or the 6 other times she had been there. It is the same for Gary the 17 year old boy, but, Mary remembers everything and will do whatever it takes to save Ib. Now it is time again for Ib to visit the gallery with her parents. Will she make it out? Rated T to be safe on the safe side of things. I don't own Ib.
1. Welcome to the Gallery

I don't own Ib.

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Ib stepped out the door of her room and headed to the kitchen. She had gotten up early that morning out of excitement. It was her birthday after all she should be excited she was going to the art gallery for the first time. Her mom had told her about the Gurtrena exhibit and how it came to the gallery every year around her birthday. Ib was great at art in school and enjoyed drawing at home. Her favorite picture she drew was a picture of a rose she gave her mom, Rosaline Heart for mother's day.

"My, Sweetie you're up early and look your already dressed." Her father said looking up from his newspaper.

"Good thing I started making your breakfast early" her mom called.

Ib sat down and began eating breakfast which was her favorite pancakes with raspberries. She quickly gobbled them down and got ready to go.

One car ride later…

I skipped into the museum overjoyed to finally be there.

"Did you bring your handkerchief Ib you know the one I gave you for your birthday?"

I nodded

"Ok don't loose it," She walked up to the front desk and began paying and gathering pamphlets.

"Can I go look on my own Momma?" I asked

"Sure, just don't talk to strangers," She called.

I viewed many paintings though I couldn't read all of them. I am only nine you know. I came across one painting that seemed particularly odd.

"World" I tried to read aloud lights flickered as I did so.

I continued to walk around as I did strange things started to happen like the doors locking', fruit falling from paintings and the fact that I was alone. For some reason it felt nostalgic. Eventually, I came across "Abyss of the Deep" I could feel it pull me in. I lost my footing and fell in.

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**authors note:**

**Sorry it is so short I' m still new to this.**


	2. All Together Again

I do not own Ib.

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Ib's Pov

I felt as though she was drowning in the sculpture I had fallen into. It quickly faded into a hallway. I walked down the corridor every step brought on a wave of nostalgia as I walked down the blue hall she noticed a few paintings scattered across the hallway. Why was everything so familiar I hadn't ever been to the gallery before?

"Ouch" I had stubbed my toe on a table knocking a rose to the ground. she picked it up and placed it in her pocket just until she found one to replace the one she broke. Ib noticed a door and walked through the door hoping to find a vase. Instead she found an eerie painting and a key. I looked curiously at the key then, instinctively put it in my pocket. The painting began screaming leaving me in a state of confusion paintings couldn't scream. The screams left my ears ringing even though I had left the room. I unlocked the door at the other end of the hallway.

The next few rooms were uneventful.

I screamed as a lady in red stormed towards me and grabbed at the rose in my pocket. A man with purple hair and black roots paired with a raggedy trench coat distracted the lady in red so I could escape through a white door. Inside was a vase I put the rose in, I had found out it was connected to my health after a creepy hand attacked me.

"Hello, Ib and welcome back to Fabricated world please sit down." A familiar voice called.

I did what I was told and sat down in the chair. A movie played it depicted a younger version of me in the gallery and fabricated world with a blonde girl in a green dress and the man from earlier we looked happy. My head ached for a split second but as soon as the pain went away. I remembered visiting the gallery 4 years ago. The young man was called Garry and the girl Mary they were my friends I made last time. I grabbed my rose and headed out the door to find Garry waiting for me.

"Hi, Garry."

"How do you know my name?"

"Come on Garry, remember it's me, Ib."

"Nope not a clue"

"Oh, so I guess you're like how I was, don't worry you'll remember soon."

"Ok, so where are you from the museum or gallery?" Garry pointed a lighter at me as he said this.

"Please put the lighter down, Mister"

He lowered the lighter.

"Fine, you pass the test."

I saw Mary creep up behind Garry. It was the funniest thing ever to see Gary screaming like a little girl when he saw Mary. Garry is such a scaredy cat

"Hey Garry and Ib, I'm so glad I found you two, especially you Ib"

"Let's go, Ib"

He didn't even question Mary and she snuck up on him. We were walking for quite far until we ran into a wall the wall was covered in red paint that read "Bad Mary". Mary looked frightened at the wall.

"Are you okay Mary?" I asked.

"Just fine all this does is make my job a tiny bit harder."

"Um, Mary what is your job," Garry asked.

"To protect Ib, of course," Mary smiled she obviously took pride in her job.

Garry's face grew with concern as he looked at me.

"Don't worry I'm sure were all in an equivalent trouble" He smiled.

"Oh, what ever you do don't get separated" Mary cheered.

To be honest I was already terrified Mary telling me I was in danger scared me even more. I suddenly started feeling ill. The world faded to black.

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Please review if you enjoyed.


	3. Royalty's Rose

Thanks for the review, I really enjoy reading them. Hey, look I wrote a decently sized chapter. I apologize if any one was confused if I wrote I instead of Ib and it wasn't her point of view I will fix it at some point. Chapter 4 will be out soon.

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"There you are, Ib" she recognized the voice it was her was Mom but something seemed odd her smile seemed more malicious than usual. Her Mom had her red rose from her hand and began plucking petals.

"Please stop" she winced as she spoke because pain coursed through her body as the petals fluttered to the ground. Her Mom continued even plucking off the last petal.

She awoke in Garry's arms he had carried her bridal style. Her eyes scanned the area they were in a room. It was a pretty bland room, the walls were white and the floors were the same there was a door in front of us and a door behind us. Ib hated the color white it was just so boring to her, Ib always thought white was a color that needed colored. Mary was leading Gary through the room's puzzle. Ib looked at Gary's rose it was its usual purplish-blue and had lost several petals since she'd last seen it. They must have gotten into trouble while she slept. She checked her own rose all 10 petals remained. Gary had done a good job protecting her though she felt bad that Gary had gotten hurt because of her.

"Oh, your awake that's good," Garry look down and smiled at me, "Can you stand?"

nodded and he put me down.

"Thanks, Garry" I walked over to Mary who was having trouble solving the puzzle. She sat staring at the blank canvas holding a paintbrush and a palette with many colors of paint. I noticed a plaque underneath the canvas. It read "Only memories will paint a way home,"

"Mary can I see the paintbrush and paint?" Ib asked.

Ib's Pov

"Sure, Ib," Mary replied handing me what I had asked her for.

I closed my eyes and let my hand move on its own. I had painted a pretty rose key. Gary and Mary gawked at the drawing as the key I had just drawn landed in my hand. I unlocked the door.

"Come on we have to keep moving," I called. They followed behind me still in shock about my skill in painting and the fact it became real. Ib treaded carefully not wanting to disturb any of the living paintings that could potentially chase them. I was several feet a head of Mary and Gary who had stopped to look at a peculiar painting. I peered down the hall to find a white door I wandered to it out of pure curiosity soon I was inside the room it appeared identical to the first one. I sat down in the chair at the center of the room the screen in front of me turned on. It showed the second time I had been to the gallery my mom repeated the same words she had said before. Everything was as usual except Gary was in the first room and there was no Mary. The rooms were identical to the last time except there was even more enemies to chase us and me and Gary never got separated. We soon made it to the painting "Fabricated World" Gary jumped through as soon as the frame I hesitated I could hear a familiar voice call my name, it was my mom. I now had two choices, Go with mom or Gary. I ultimately chose Gary figuring I had trusted him earlier so, Why stop now. After that I saw Gary one more time at the sculpture "Embodiment of Spirit", he didn't remember me and I didn't remember him, Mom came and we left the gallery. As soon as it had finished I headed back out into the hallway only to see a sobbing Mary and an angry Gary. They turned at the sound of her footsteps and for a moment stood in shock until Gary began yelling.

Gary's Pov

An endless amount of questions had spun through my head ever since I arrived here in this nightmare of a gallery. Why was he so worried about the brown-haired girl he had only just met? Why did this girl seem so familiar? Why was everything so nostalgic? Why did he not like being alone with the little blonde girl Mary, just saying her name put shivers down his back? Why did Ib say he knew her? So many questions so far no answers. He could hear footsteps he turned to see Ib standing before him and the sobbing Mary. Rage bubbled up inside him resulting in a barrage of yelling. She stood silent for most of it. Her expression

"Why don't you listen to anyone, you're an idiot" I yelled "This deserved to happen to you not anyone else." I could see her crying I knew I had taken it too far. I To be honest, she didn't deserve it no one did deserve this. I had guessed she was around 13 four years younger than I. She was sweet, kind, curious, noble, brave and unbelievably smart and here I was screaming at her just because she vanished for an hour. It isn't like she had to stay with us. I was just worried about her. I stammered looking for the correct words to say I'm sorry, trying to escape this pit of shame and guilt I had found my self in. Silence remained for a couple of minutes, I could feel myself sink farther and farther as each second passed, why can't

"Those are some harsh words to say to the girl you don't remember," Ib was smiling tears still running down her cheeks like rain on a car window, as soon as the sentence was finished she bolted. Running through the door, and into the next hallway I ran after her but she was too far ahead and young to catch up. He could hear Mary begging Ib to come back, and then she started chasing after her at an unbelievable speed. It took her mere seconds to catch up with me. I could hear a scream and immediately knew it was Ib. I raced even faster than he had to save her no matter what. I continued running at this pace till he reached the source of the scream. I saw vines tangled around her carrying her limp body to the next floor. I tried to pry Ib from the thorny grasp of the vines but to no avail. I did manage to get my hands all cut up. I watched in horror as the vines toke Ib high, she was soon beyond the our reach. And by chance her rose slipped from her hand and hit the floor, losing a couple of petals in the process. A lady in red slithered to the floor from her place on the wall, her frame scraped against floor making a sound similar nails scratching a chalk board. She was trying to take advantage of chance to steal the red rose on the floor. I kicked her grabbing the red rose and well, running into the nearest room. Mary was waiting for me in there.

"Hello, Gary," she greeted her expression was unreadable.

"How did you get here?" I asked freaked out because last time I had seen her she was just behind me.

"Oh I just used the wall like any painting who can escape their frame can," she said a faint smile. I stepped towards the door trying to unlock it. "Please Garry, we need to focus on getting Ib back, you have her rose right?

"Yes, but what is that going to do?"

"Don't you remember your rose is connected to you, any damage it takes, you take.

"So, they can't hurt her as long as we have her rose, right?" I looked down at Ib's rose; it only had three petals left. They probably needed to find a vase soon.

"No Garry, it also works vice versa, if she gets hurt so will the rose, the only advantage is we can heal the rose."

Meanwhile on the next floor,

"Doesn't she look pretty, Michel?" said a voice

"Yes, but not half as pretty as you, my beloved," said Michel.

"Aww, you're so sweet," the voice who obviously liked being complemented said.

Ib was asleep on a large canopy bed. Her usual outfit had been exchanged for a red dress with ruffles at the hem, the skirt of her dress looked like a rose while the top was like Belle's from Beauty and the Beast. A golden tiara had been placed on her head and an opal rose necklace at her neck. She looked like a princess. There was a plaque by the bed which read "Royalty's Rose". The room was very eerie all the paintings were crooked and broken. Several torn stuffed animals littered the room. The once pink walls had faded so severely you could hardly tell they were once pink.

Meanwhile with Gary and Mary,

Gary sat and listened while Mary explained the entire thing.

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Who is the voice and Michel and why have they taken Ib? Please Review if you want to that is.


	4. Confrontation

Hey, look it's soon. Sorry it took longer than expected I kind of got writers block but it is done now. I am going to try to post once a week maybe twice so keep an eye out for that. Well, on to the story.

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Ib's Pov

Where am I? I rubbed my head it hurt. Dumb vines, it hit me in the back of the head and now I have no idea where I am. The room was white and blank, no doors, no windows and no hope of escape. Just a pencil, in the middle of a room I sat down beginning to draw I shut my eyes letting my hand move in any direction it wished. It felt like hours had passed, my hand ached from so much drawing but I continued until I finished the last one. I looked at what I had created. All of the pictures of the many times I had visited this nightmarish gallery. There were few differences between the visits but one thing seemed odd, the picture "The Couple" was always in the background and Mary always seemed cautious of the painting. My head ached as if every memory I ever had unlocked and flooded her mind.

"Wake up, Ib" A voice cooed as it did I could feel the world fade to black. I woke up in my room at my house. My mom and my dad were sitting on my bed. Was everything a dream including Gary and Mary?

"What happened?" I asked my mom.

"Oh, Sweetie you fainted in the gallery, so we took you home."

"Okay," I smiled because I really didn't like the eerie gallery but at the same time I felt empty because I had never met Gary or Mary my only two friends in this desolate world of mine. It's not like I couldn't make just friends because of my eyes and shyness just make it twenty times harder.

"Now, Sweetie please don't leave your room, we would want you to faint again" she warned. They left; I began scanning the room something wasn't right she counted her stuffed bunnies, they were all there. Then I checked for anything misplaced. Nothing was out of order. I eventually grew weary of looking for what's wrong with my room and began drawing. At first I tried to draw Mary and Gary but gave up because it brought up that weird dream, I looked out my window, to see that no one was outside, not even a single car drove by. The thought struck me; I was still in the gallery. I turned around my room had changed into a post apocalyptic version; much worse a headless mannequin guarded the entrance.

Garry Pov

"When Gurtrena was a boy he painted "The Fabricated World" little did he know he had created a world of his own design. One day he fell into his world for a lonely kid like Gurtrena it was the greatest thing to happen to him and us. We developed feelings and he made friends one day his visits grew shorter and fewer by the day. WE later found out he had gotten a girlfriend. They were soon married and a little later had a kid. Sadly, his wife died a year after his daughter's birth. That's when he started painting her mom and older versions of his daughter. The paintings were happy until one day Ib got very sick. He then abandoned his pictures forever to make sure she would always be in the best care. For her fourth birthday he took her to the fabricated world unknowingly leading her into a trap. The paintings made quick work of separating the pair. Ib escaped, but Gurtrena never made it out but what did was a painting by the name of "The Couple". They erased her memories so she would believe they were her parents. Each time her eyes changed color and when she entered this world. It will be her final visit when her eyes reach their original color. I was painted to protect and be the friend to his daughter. That girl is Ib."

"So what was Ib's original eye color?"

"Haven't you noticed Ib's eye color changed after she fainted that the once purple color is now red, her original eye color?"

I stood back horrified this was my fault. I shriveled in the back corner. The thought of someone dying because of me overwhelmed me. Mary gave me a look of annoyance.

"You know sitting there will do nothing for Ib's sake," I turned up to look at the blonde girl who was tapping her foot impatiently. My guilt turned into determination, We will save Ib.

Ib's Pov

The mannequins are moving; each step produced a loud thumping sound sure to alert anyone within thirty feet of them. They stepped away from the door, even opening the door as if to help me to escape the room.

"Thank you" I whispered as I ran, okay more like fast walked because it is almost impossible to run in the dress I was now wearing not to mention that the black heels I was wearing. I was pretty glad that the dress turned to petals as soon as I left the room revealing my normal outfit. I stopped in my tracks fifty Lady in Reds lined the hallway any movement would have awaken them. I had two choices Run or Stay? Well, there's no going back now, let's just hope whatever I learned at track.

Gary Pov

Bong

Bong

Bong

"Mary, Where's the key!?" urgency in my voice. A large oversized doll started to appear from the painting "Red Eyes" and the gong going off signaled something bad was going to happen if we didn't find this key quickly. I frantically tore open the dolls in search for the key, Ewe hair.

"I don't know, Garry they change the puzzles,"

Bong

Bong

"Argh, can some one get rid of the dumb gong!" Mary screech.

I heard the rattling coming from the door odd thing was Mary was right next to me.

"Garry…Mary are you in there?"

"Ib is that you?" I called desperate to get out of here and apologize. Plus, I hate these creepy dolls that litter the floor. Just then the gong stopped and the oversized doll receded.

"Yes, of course it is, now I'm going to try to open the door." I could hear the door knob jiggle. The door swung open but no one was there. Mary and I stepped out the door thankful to be out of the room.

"Hey Gary, Mary over here," Ib called. I turned to where I thought I heard. There stood a woman and a man. The woman wore a crimson skirt and shawl paired with a black top while, the man wore a tan pants, a grey blazer and a light grey cardigan with a plain white dress shirt underneath. I turned to Mary who glared at the two.

"You, Where did you take Ib!?" Mary screamed. Her expression frightened me, her once sunny expression had been twisted by anger, she looked even more threatening with her palette knife in her hand. When and where did she get a palette knife? The woman returned her remark with a smirk while the man next to her remained expressionless.

"That is for me to know and you to never find out, I truly don't understand why our daughter hangs out with these oddballs," the woman taunted.

"You are not Ib's Mom and will never be, you conniving witch." She had obviously had set Mary off. Wait, She is Ib's mom maybe, I am not quite sure it is kind of confusing. I mean she did look like her. So, if she is Ib's Mom then the man next to her might be her Dad? Then why would they take Ib away from us it's not like we are bad people? But I thought Gurtrena was her father? I'm hopelessly confused.

"Gary now is not the time to think of stuff like that," Mary called looking at me then back at the woman.

"We came to make a deal, you give us the red rose and we will allow your escape." I pulled out the rose from my jacket and stared at it. Was she worth the possibility being trapped here? I stared unsure; I mean they just probably just wanted get the rose back to Ib. My thought began to jumble until it became to hard to even decipher anymore.

"Don't trust them Garry, they are the ones I was talking about earlier, they are the Couple." Suddenly the pieces clicked. I could feel anger swell up inside me. I had made my decision.

"No thanks," I stated. I could see a familiar pair of crimson eye staring at me from just behind the Couple.


	5. Questions anwsered

Ib stared, she had heard majority of the conversation. Her face was pale she was startled at the revelation that had hit her like a brick. These where imitations of her parents, Ib thought.

"For Pete's sake, these people aren't real, they are paintings and never were your real parents," Mary said. This caused everyone to turn back and stare at Ib and Ib sat there confused until she noticed that everyone was staring. Garry was the first to break the silence.

"Ib get away from them, they're dangerous," Gary warned but it was to late Mr. Heart already got the advantage.

Ib's Pov

I couldn't move, there were vines at my feet and my "Dad" had a scythe at my throat.

"Give us her rose, or we could just take her out right now!" He barked.

"Wait, just a second honey, Since you care about Ib so much, Garry, why don't you give us your rose?" she smiled sinisterly at the statement. Gary blushed slightly actually you probably wouldn't notice if you didn't know him. He took one last glance at his rose before he held out his rose for my "Mom" to grab but, Mary pushed his hand back down and held her rose out.

"Sorry Gary, but it is my turn this time," she smiled and held out her rose instead.

"Why would I want the traitor's rose it is worthless," she looked insulted.

"Guys, Please I'm not worth it," I smiled faintly, wanting to protect the only friends I had ever had, but I could see both Garry and Mary wanted to do the same.

"By the way, my rose isn't worthless, it will allow into the room with my painting." She glanced at me and smiled which made my guilt worsen. I severely disliked being a burden to people. Allowing someone to die for me was not happening at least not on my watch. I slapped my "dad" causing him to drop the scythe which landed on the floor with a loud clang as I immediately ran to my friends who look quite shocked at what I had just done. Hey it isn't like I haven't slapped anyone before, seriously wasn't both Mary and Gary there when I slapped Gary that one time, but then again Gary doesn't remember me but Mary does and she was there. Not that I slap people often I just feel when people are trying to kill me or are off their rocker, it might be appropriate.

"Oh, you think you are safe just because you are over their, I'm sorry but you're wrong," she laughed maniacally as thistles rose up surrounding me. Really, am I really being forced to play damsel in distress? Mary quickly tossed her rose to my "parents" who in return released me from my thorny prison but what we weren't expecting was the husband to run off while the wife remained and for her to begin attacking Garry. Swing, miss, Swing, miss, each time the woman swung, Garry dodged, Ib and Mary looked at each other then nodded in a agreement, They needed to do something its not like Gary can dodge forever. I felt something hit my foot, what is this chalk? At my feet was five pieces of chalk in the colors red, blue, black, white, yellow. Mary's eyes widened at the sight of the chalk.

"Ib draw a sword quickly," Mary commanded.

"But, how is that going to help-,"

"Just do it and hurry," I did as I was told, Mary could become quite scary at times. No sooner than I had finished drawing it became real. I grabbed it and blocked the scythe that was headed towards Gary's face.

"This is between you and me not anyone else!" I said to the woman who had raised me.

Clang clash, cling, my swords hit her scythe causing the sound to ring through the gallery. Her eyes stared at me as if she looked forward to my defeat which she probably did. To be honest I have no idea how to use a sword or any weapon for that matter so, I have no idea why decided it would be a good idea but what's done is done.

Garry's Pov

I watched in fear as Ib battled the painted terror. Swing after swing Ib took it like she was used to it. Was she I'm not sure I only have know her for a couple of hours and for most of them she was asleep or kidnapped but there was something about her that made me believe I had known her for my entire life but that couldn't be right? I scanned through my memories trying to figure out where I had seen Ib before. Most of my memories were of me hanging out at the café or slacking in school but every once in a while memories of the gallery would come across revealing the familiar face. Her red skirt, white blouse and red scarf thing along with her chocolate brown hair and vanilla colored skin and her cheery smile that was melted into my memories. Wait, could it be I have been here before too?

"That's what I have been trying tell you," said the annoyed blonde.

A loud clang, the woman's scythe fell to the ground and our Ib stood victorious. The woman glared making me half expected flames to shoot out of her eyes along with exploding daggers. She murmured something that I couldn't here but I'm sure Ib did based by her reaction .Then there was a puff a smoke and the woman disappeared leaving us alone. I could here Ib panting which made me worried but go figure she would be tired after a battle like that.

"Hey why don't we rest awhile?" I suggested.

"Sure," They said in unison.

We all leaned against the wall, Ib had finally caught her breath but there were several large gash on her arms and legs which had me a bit worried since she only had two petals left which meant death was easier to find, I mean hey just tripping over the carpet could cause you to loose a petal.

"Don't worry to much about Ib, Garry, she is a strong girl after all," said the young blonde.

"How do you keeping doing that?"

"Doing what, oh, you mean reading your mind. Well, you know how Ib can draw stuff and it becomes real?

"Yes," I answered unsure of were this was headed.

"That is her ability, I can read minds but only if I'm within a radius of fifty feet"

"So, what's my ability, Mary?"

"Actually I'm not sure yet, actually I haven't figured out why your even in here because usually you have to be the artist, a descendant of the artist or a painting but, that didn't happen with you. Maybe Ib let you in on accident."

"Oh," I said a little saddened since there was no special ability I could use to help. I looked to see Ib who was intently listening.

"Don't worry Garry, you will figure out your ability at some point," The red eyed girl responded. She smiled; her smile alone could make even the most depressed man smile. We talked for awhile, but eventually Ib had fallen asleep.

"Hey, Garry I'm sorry for almost killing you," the young blonde said her aqua eyes full of remorse and a few tears.

"Wait, WW-When did that happen?" I stammered shocked at the confession.

"Well, it was the first time Ib came to the museum. You had learned about me being a painting and were going to take Ib away because of it, so I might have locked you in a room full of creepy dolls which might have driven to the brink of insanity but in all fairness you drove me to desperation. When Ib and me came down to see if you were ok I tried to get her to leave you behind but some how managed to save you. I believe Ib might secretly be an angel but never mind that. At that moment I realized that Ib favored you over me though it wasn't really true and thus the seed of jealousy began to sprout, I let myself believe you were a painting sent out to bring Ib's destruction. So I went a little crazy and asked you to give up your rose for Ib's, which you did. Then I started to play loves me loves me not with your rose, I eventually reached the last petal and was about to pull it off when the red eyed angel stopped me. I realized I had hurt her by then it was too late my painting had already been burned. It took Gurtrena a few days to repaint me. After that I healed your rose led you out and the rest is history."

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Hey Author Person here,

I have some important news. I know last week I said I would try to post every week but since I write each chapter the week I post ( This is why things like genre will change by the way it is rated t for possible violence not for anything else.)it is hard for me to do so. So I have decide I would be putting it on temporary hiatus for a while to finish the story and work on a few others I have started and have thought about starting. This includes a sequel to this story. What would you like to see in the sequel? (Please keep suggestions K+) I will still check my reviews often so don't worry about not being seen. Be back soon.


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